Stepping Up
by kcatlin
Summary: Completely AU Daytimedrama and I are co writing this
1. Chapter 1

Feeling her shudder and contract under and around him, he dipped his head down and kissed her. Tongues exploring, caressing, the familiar plains and contours of the others mouths. He swallowed her moan as her orgasm hit her, his body still rocking and moving with hers. He buried his face in her neck, her familiar welcoming scent, helping him reach his climax.

Rolling over, shifting her so she was lying on top of him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, burying his face in her thick, soft hair, "I love you, Montana," he sighed contently.

She snuggled into his bare chest, placing delicate kisses on the skin she could reach, "I love you too, Cowboy."

His phone buzzed on the table beside the bed, almost growling he reached for it, "Messer."

"Daddy!!" his 4 year old son, Dante Messer, squealed into the phone.

"Hey buddy," he smiled at his son's voice, his arm tightening around his Montana. She kissed his cheek in reassurance.

"Mama said I had to wait to call you," he said, "When are you coming home? My practice is at 6."

"I'll be home in time for practice," Danny promised him, "Let me speak to your mama."

"Okay! I love you daddy!"

"Daddy loves you too, son."

"Danny," Rikki Messer said into the phone.

"Yeah," he sighed rolling his eyes, even her voice made his skin crawl.

He held the receiver away from his mouth finding Lindsay's lips and kissing her soundly, 'I love you' he mouthed to her. Lindsay's lips curled up into a smirk and she began gently sucking on his neck, nipping and licking at his flesh.

"Sorry, but he wanted to talk to you," she said, "and if I remember right, you don't take THAT long to get things done," she added a bit bitterly and sarcastically.

He had to bite back his moan of appreciation for what his Montana was doing to him, "Just takes the right motivation," he replied, before snapping his phone shut on her. In a quick movement he rolled again so she was underneath him, his arousal pressing into her.

"You're naughty," he growled playfully, his hips moving in a steady rhythm.

"You love it," she said, pulling his bottom lip between her teeth.

Their bodies moved in time with the others, soft moans and grunts of satisfaction filling her small bedroom. He pinned her arms above her head, his teeth nipping at her collarbone. He grunted in satisfaction, burying his face in her neck again.

A loud rapping on her door brought them out of their second afterglow. Groaning she found her bathrobe draped across the chair, putting it on, while walking to the front door.

Peeking through the peep hole, she groaned, 'shit'. She had one of two choices, either get rid of him face to face and risk Danny coming out and kicking his ass, or have him call and call and call and then he would probably still show up.

Pulling the door open as far as the chain would let it, "Sean? What are you doing here?"

"Hey hon! I didn't catch you at a bad time did I?" he stood back and waited patiently for her to let him in.

Sighing deeply, "What are you doing here?" she repeated.

"I thought we could go out, you know to the movies or something," Sean said.

Hearing the floorboards creak from down the hall, she held her hand up for Danny to stop.

"I just got home from a 14 hour shift," she said, hoping he would catch on.

Danny's blood boiled, it was bad enough he had to watch this man flirt with his girl at work, watch her accept his invitations to lunch, watch him try to make her smile and laugh, Danny all the while giving her knowingly naughty looks, but now he was trying to interfere with their private time.

He knew he had absolutely no right, to be so upset, so jealous, so possessive over Lindsay. He was married, unhappily, but he was married. But his heart really didn't care. It never had. Not even the day he married Rikki in front of the justice of the peace, four and a half years ago. His heart belonged to Lindsay. But his indiscretion had made him lose her. He had gotten Rikki pregnant, and his upbringing had taught him, 'get girl in trouble, you marry her to make it right'. He tore Lindsay's heart out, made her leave the city for a year. Then when she came back to town they reconnected. Sexually and emotionally. She didn't believe him, when he told her he hadn't been intimate with Rikki since they had married, his heart wouldn't let him. After he and Lindsay began seeing each other, he soon realized his 'wife's' complaining of their total lack of a sex life soon stopped. He knew she was seeing someone else herself. The minute he confronted her about it, she denied it, but he told her he really didn't care what she did. They agreed to stay married for Dante. But lately he had started thinking about other options, he hadn't told anybody about these other options he had been thinking about, but he was getting tired of denying his feelings for his Montana, and he knew it really wasn't fair to her. He wanted to give his Montana the world, love her like she deserved to be loved, in public, not as some dirty little secret. And he also realized that he could be a good father to his son and not be married to his mother.

"Alright," Sean finally agreed, "But will you go to dinner with me tonight?"

Danny shifted his weight in an anticipation of moving if he had to, because apparently this guy couldn't take a hint.

"Maybe," she said, hearing the floor creak behind her again, "I'm going to bed now."

She shut the door; she slowly turned around and looked at Danny. She couldn't quite read his expression; he looked like he was upset and angry, but also determined.

"I'm getting a divorce," he blurted out. He watched helplessly as she began to quietly sob. Why was she crying?

Her face contorted into a frown, and then she leaned against the door and slid down burying her face in her hands.

He quickly fell to his knees next to her; he raised his hand as if to touch her, but dared not, "Montana, wha… why…" he had made her cry to many times before, and he still knew nothing about making her feel better, or how to make her stop.

"I jus… I never thoug…," she sobbed, stumbling over her own words. But then she stopped, as if a realization dawned on her, "What about Dante?"

"I can still be his father, and not be married to his mother," he said.

She smiled at him, and leaned in, kissing him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, but then she stopped again, pulling back to look at him. "You really do love me."

His heart almost stopped, he took her face in his hands, "I've never loved anyone else," his mouth quirking up into a grin, when she smiled at him. "You deserve more than I have been giving you. You deserve more than this," he gestured with his arms, "sneaking around, hiding, having secret rendezvous. I've never been good enough for you, but I'm yours, my heart is yours."


	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell is your problem, Daniel?," Rikki Messer scolded her very soon to be ex-husband, who was pacing back and forth in the judge's chambers they were waiting in, "You THAT anxious to get back to your whore?"

He was anxious; they had waited the mandatory 30-days for the judge to sign the divorce agreement. He just wanted this all to be over with, so he could start his life with his Montana. The life he should have had before… don't think about it like that Messer. It gave you your son. He also wanted to let the world know that Lindsay Monroe was taken, had been for a very long time, but only a select few knew he had moved in with her after he told Rikki he was filing for a divorce.

Instantaneously, he stopped his pacing and reared his head around to look at her, "You know damn well she isn't a whore," he replied, his voice icy cold, "Remember she left ME," pointing to himself, "because of what WE did?" he gestured between the two of them.

"So what are you trying to say?" she demanded, placing her hands on her hips in a defensive stance.

"I think you know EXACTLY what I'm sayin'. The ONLY reason why I married you was because you were carrying my son!" he tried to keep his voice as calm as possible. He was not going to stand her and let Lindsay take any heat for this. Her only fault in this whole matter was loving him.

He watched as the corner of her mouth went up into cocky smirk, "Who said he is yours?" she said coolly, crossing her arms across her chest.

He felt like someone just slapped him in the face, "What did you just say?" he asked hoarsely.

Suddenly the door opened to the chambers, "Daniel Messer and Rikki Sandoval Messer?" the judge asked.


	3. Chapter 3

His hand steadied on the doorknob, he had to catch his breath, and he still felt like he had been kicked in the gut. He opened the door to Lindsay's and now his apartment. He tossed his keys on the table near the door, before he tugged on his tie to loosen it. Lindsay heard him coming through the door; she finished brushing her teeth, and washed her ashen face so she didn't look like she had been throwing up all morning. She had thought she was just getting sick from overworking, but the three plus signs later she knew the reason. She was excited to tell Danny, she hoped some good news during his difficult divorce would help raise all their spirits.

"Hi honey," she said brightly, but trailed off at the end, when she saw his fallen face. She immediately rushed to his side when he didn't look at her. She took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. "What's wrong? Did it not go well?" She became more worried when he didn't answer her.

"Dante," he choked out.

Immediately Lindsay was worried, "What's wrong, is he okay? Did something happen to him?"

"He's fine." Lindsay was quite confused now. "He's not my son."

"What are you talking about?"

"Rikki told me today. At the courthouse. That I'm not his father. Sure I raised him, but I'm not biologically his father. I fucking married her, because she was pregnant with my kid, and he's not. I fucked up my entire life and he's not my kid."

"Danny. You are the only father he has ever known. You are still his father."

"No. She won't let me see him."

"Then you get a DNA test, and got to court."

"It's so apparent now. He was never premature. She was pregnant before she even came to me. I'm such an idiot. She couldn't find another sap to step up and do the right thing, knew I was guilt ridden trying to do the right thing."

"Danny, you did do what you thought was right," Lindsay said sadly. It broke her heart but she knew Danny to be the type of guy who would do what he thought was right. Including marrying a woman he didn't love because he thought he got her pregnant. Her heart ached for him. She knew how much he was hurting, what a good father he was to Dante, what a good father he would be to their child. She had to bite back the feeling of nausea that overwhelmed her. Soon it was too much and she had to wrench out of his hold as she ran to the bathroom and unloaded the rest of her breakfast. Danny was confused by her sudden departure and his heartbreak was temporarily put aside for concern for Lindsay.

"Lindsay? Are you okay? What's wrong?" He heard the toilet flush, then faucet turn on and then off, before Lindsay shuffled back into the hallway, and had to place a hand on the wall to steady herself.

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine. What's wrong?"

"I'm fine Danny. I'll be fine. I'll tell you later. We need to figure out how to get your son back."


	4. Chapter 4

Lindsay sat in her and Danny's office, can of ginger ale and pack of crackers in front of her, head in her hands. She was still feeling nauseous and had just thrown up again. Glad Danny was out on a case, she still hadn't told him she was pregnant. The news about Dante not being his son still had him very upset, rightfully so. She didn't want him thinking she had did this on purpose, gotten pregnant to make sure now that he was divorcing that woman that he would stay with her too. She didn't need to get pregnant to know that Danny was hers. She knew that every time he made love to her, when he held her at night.

"Hey Lindsay!" an annoyingly familiar voice boomed behind her, making her jump.

She groaned, 'Take a hint, dude.'

"You wanna go to lunch?" Sean asked.

"She's already goin' with me," another voice said from behind her. Don Flack had to check in on some evidence, and had walked by Messer and Monroe's office. He spotted Lindsay with her head down, obviously not feeling very well, and that annoying little weasel from the DA's office bothering her again. He had been running a lot of interference with this guy. He just didn't seem to get that she didn't want anything to do with him, not personally, barely even professionally. Don knew that Danny was divorcing that woman and thought it was about damn time, 4 yrs in the making. He knew that Danny was finally with Lindsay, more than just being her secret married lover. He also knew that Danny didn't want others thinking that Lindsay was any less than lady. So Danny tried his best to reel in his feelings for her in front of others, especially in front of this Sean son of a bitch. So Don began stepping up and doing what a best friend should in this situation. He pretended to be dating Lindsay.

Sighing in relief, Lindsay finally lifted her head and turned around, looking past Sean and giving Don a thankful look, "You ready then?"

Danny walked out of the elevator to see that Sean son of a bitch, who cannot take a hint for the life of him, walking towards him with an irritated look on his face. Heading towards his and Lindsay's office, he slowed his pace when he spotted Flack walking closely behind Lindsay. Lindsay smiled softly at him, Don winked at him, and Danny smiled slyly at both of them.

"Saw your boyfriend leavin' not lookin' too happy Montana," Danny said casually, grinning playfully.

"Sorry Mess, but he's standin' right here," Don said from behind Lindsay, grinning devilishly, "and he's plenty happy."

"Don't be jealous Dan," Lindsay winked at him, and then continued walking.

"We were just going to get some Lunch, you want anything Danny?" Don cut in.

"No thanks I got to do go over this trace" and then he caught Lindsay's eye, before adding, "then I got to go do that thing after I clock out."

To be honest he was still grated by Sean's consistent presence in their office. He couldn't wait until he could let the whole world know that he and Montana were together, maybe then Sean would get it through his thick skull that she wasn't interested in him. He quickly finished up in the trace lab; he wanted to run his errand as quickly as possible. He had tried to call his ex-wife, ended up leaving her a message. He would ideally like to get in and out of his old apartment without a huge confrontation. He walked down the familiar corridor and was surprised with the feeling that this was no longer his home, and the realization that it never really was. His home was always with Lindsay. The ex shouldn't be home, so he slid the key into the door, but stopped when he heard laughing on the other side. It was her, her laugh was grating, he recognized it immediately. And then he heard the deep laugh of a man. He always knew she had been seeing someone else, but never really cared to find out who. He opened the apartment door startling the couple on the other side.

"Rikki. Tim."

"Danny, what are you doing here?" She said as she smoothed her hair down, and adjusted her shirt.

"Trust me. I don't want to be here, but I forgot something important."

"This is my apartment," she whined.

"Well I'm still paying for it, and I came to get something that belongs to me. Tim you here to check the plumbing again?" he asked sarcastically. It was all very clear now. He always was wondering why she never got annoyed about the problems in this building, and had no problem waiting around for Tim to come fix them.

He pushed past her; he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. And walked towards the bedroom. He went straight over to the closet, opening the suitcase he kept on the top shelf. He unlocked it making sure everything was still inside. Lindsay's favorite sweatshirt of his, and a small metal safe that contained his grandmother's engagement ring. He snapped the suitcase closed just as Rikki walked into the bedroom. He never had showed her what was in that suitcase. He kept that ring hidden, his hidden desire to get out of this awful life he had chosen. He knew he wanted to see that ring on Lindsay's hand, but never allowed himself to dream that it was possible, until now.

"What's in there?" she demanded.

"None of your business."

"Like hell it is."

"This is mine, something you never can take away from me," he said. He left her in the bedroom and crossed through the living room, he nodded at Tim, but when he reached for the doorknob, Tim's voice stilled him.

"Danny."

"Yeah."

"Thanks, you know for being there for the kid."

Danny was only confused and it must have shown on his face.

"You know for stepping up and marrying Rikki and raising the kid. I didn't have a job, I was still on parole, and Rikki told me that she knew that you'd do the right thing by them. You're a good guy."

Danny couldn't believe what a huge sucker he had been.

"She's all yours."


	5. Chapter 5

He opened the door to their apartment, and noticed how quiet it was. No news on, no country music playing in the back ground, the only sound to be heard, was the humming of the household appliances. It wouldn't be so odd if it wasn't 5 pm and usually Lindsay was humming around the apartment, making dinner or tidying up. He guessed she still wasn't feeling well; he would have to make her an appointment in the morning, because he knew she would be too stubborn to do it herself.

Walking to their bedroom, he sat on the side of the bed when he saw her sleeping. He ran his hand over her forehead, causing her to stir, happy that he didn't detect a fever. He leant forward and kissed her forehead, "Hey baby," he said softly.

Suddenly her eyes went wide and she jumped up out of the bed pushing past him and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

He listened as she vomited into the toilet, "Montana! I'm callin' the doctor!" he hollered through the door.

"Wait," she said frantically through the door.

"I've watched ya throw up for the last three days, Montana," Danny said, watching her open the door her eyes puffy red and watery.

"I'm not sick," she denied, shaking her adamantly.

"I'm callin' anyway," he said stubbornly, attempting to hit the speed dial on the phone.

"I'm pregnant," she said softly, her eyes downcast.

Danny's phone hit the floor.


	6. Chapter 6

"Say it again," Danny said softly, hoping he really heard what she said. This had been a dream of his for the last 4 years, something he knew he would never be able to have with her even if he did just have her. His marriage prevented him from having children with Lindsay, he wanted to, god had he wanted to, but he didn't want people to think any less of Lindsay for not being with the father.

She bite her lip, her eyes still downcast, the tears right on the brink of falling, "I don't think I can," she sobbed out in a strained voice.

_She was crying, why was she crying? Wasn't she happy? Didn't she want to have his child too?_

Falling to his knees, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his face into her stomach, "Please." He begged.

She gasped when he fell to his knees in front of her, his face buried into her stomach, the tears falling freely from her eyes now, "Danny," she gasped.

He looked up at her, then slowly stood up spreading her thighs apart, lifting her off the ground her legs finding their way around him, "You havin' my kid?" he asked softly, the emotion thick in his throat, when he was at face level with her, her legs wrapped around him, her arms wrapped around his neck.

His eyes held nothing but pure adoration in them, and love, so much love she thought her heart would burst. She nodded her head slowly. He kissed her deeply, walking them to the bedroom, and laying her gently on the bed.

"I love you, Lindsay," he assured her, kissing her face, and down her body stopping at her belly, "I love our baby," he whispered kissing the expanse.

Tears of joy, love and happiness slipped from her eyes and down her cheeks as Danny made love to her, "I love you, Danny."

A knocking on the door brought them out of their peaceful slumber, Lindsay attempted to crawl out of bed, but was quickly pulled back by Danny, "You need to sleep, mommy," he said softly into her ear, kissing her neck. He rolled out of bed, quickly pulling on a pair of sweats and a tank top, closing the bedroom door behind him he went to the front door, just as another knock rattled the door.

Peeking through the peep hole, he felt a growl form deep within his throat. This son of a bitch was going to learn one way or another.

Sean waited anxiously for her to come to the door. Lindsay Monroe reminded him of his first love. A sweet country girl, who needed protecting from this unforgiving city, he knew that if Lindsay gave him a chance, she would know that he was a good guy and that he could take care of her the way she deserved to be treated.

When the door opened he was met by a hand to his throat, and being slammed against the wall on the opposite side of the hall. Looking up he found himself staring in the steely blue eyes of Detective Danny Messer.

Danny held the man by his throat against the wall, holding his temper back as much as he could, "I'm gonna tell you this one time, and one time only. Leave Lindsay Monroe alone. She doesn't want you. She is my girl and has been for a very long time, before you even thought about coming around. When we are at work and you see her, you can be cordial, but that is it. If I see you upset her again, or ask her out or anything else you might think about doing, this will seem like a walk in the park. Do you understand me?" as he spoke to the man he felt his hand tighten around the man's throat.

"Yes," Sean gasped out.

"Good. Now get the hell outta here, and leave my family alone!" Danny said through clenched teeth and pushed him down the hallway.


	7. Chapter 7

It had been a month since Lindsay told Danny she was pregnant, and Sean had came around last. They had begun looking for a new place to start their lives together, be it a house or an apartment. The appropriate people in the lab knew about them, the people who meant anything to them. Danny never wanted anyone to think any less of Lindsay because of his prior situation. Danny knew people were judgmental, and it was very obvious that if she was pregnant now then they must have done things when he was a still in that horrible marriage. He knew his friends and colleagues wouldn't think any less of Lindsay, and they hadn't. They had never been very big fans of that woman either.

They had gone to a doctor to confirm her pregnancy, the doctor informing them that she was further along than they thought. She was 3 months along, which meant she was almost fully out of her first trimester.

At night Danny would stroke her bare belly, his eyes able to see the slight swell that had begun developing. He would place kisses along her belly, telling his barely-there child he loved him or her, and that he would always take care of him or her and their mother. Lindsay would run her fingers through his hair, bring him up to kiss her and so that he could take advantage of the other part of her body that was growing.

"Danny, where are we?" Lindsay questioned when the cab they rode in stopped in front of a building in the opposite direction of where they lived.

"Trust me?" he asked hopefully. He knew from the first few months after they got back together, starting their affair, it was possible to love someone, make love to them, but not trust them. He thought they had gotten to that point of their relationship where she did trust him. She loved him, he had no doubt, but trusting him was something entirely different.

"Of course," she touched his face, running her thumb gently across his stubbled cheek. Didn't he know by now that he held her heart? That she trusted him with her life, with her heart?

Smiling relieved, he leant into her to touch her lips softly, a gesture of appreciation, "I've got somthin to show ya."

Stepping out behind him from the cab, she looked up at the brownstone and her eyes widened in shock. She didn't say anything but looked to Danny. He could answer what question her eyes asked and he smiled largely nodding his head. He took her small hand and led her up the stairs. He unlocked the front door, and held his breath for her reaction. Her eyes darted everywhere, to the staircase in the foyer, to the doors on both the left and right, towards the back where she could see through the kitchen and to a small back garden. She looked past the fading peeling wallpaper, past the floors that needed refinishing, she could see her and Danny's family there. She could see them raising children here. She could see them growing old here.

After touring the place, "Danny I love it," she smiled widely at him.

"Me too," he agreed. He watched as she looked around the big empty living room, and took the opportunity to drop to his knee.

When she turned around, she gasped when she saw him on bended knee the small velvet jewelry box in his hand, "Danny," she gasped her eyes watering at the sight, "You don't …."

"I'm tryin' to be romantic here, Montana," he drawled teasingly, taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts. "You know you are the only woman I have ever loved. The only woman I have ever wanted to make mine forever. I thought I lost that opportunity 4 years ago. But you still loved me, as much as I loved you. You stuck by me when I didn't deserve it, when I wasn't your responsibility anymore. You have already made most of my dreams come true, just by loving me and having my child. Lindsay Monroe, will you marry me?" he asked as he opened the box that held his grandmother's antique ring.

Lindsay was so overcome with emotion that she couldn't even talk, all she could do was nod her head yes. This was like a dream come true to her. Her Danny wanted to have a life with her; his baby was in her belly. And he was hers. All hers. He wasn't going to leave in an hour to go back to his son and wife. He was not married anymore. He had no obligations to that woman. He was free to be with her, and he wanted her, loved her more than he knew how to say. Leaning down she took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply, passionately.

He slipped the ring on her finger, "My grandfather gave this ring to my nonna. It was passed down to me and the only people who has ever worn this and ever is going to is nonna and you, you got that?" he promised her, letting her know how special it was to him.

She held it out, the tears almost clouding her vision, it fit perfectly, just like they did.


	8. Chapter 8

"I liked that brown crib too, but what's wrong with the Yankee's bedding?" Danny said, wrapping his arm around Lindsay's waist.

"There's nothing wrong with it, but if our child is going to have a sports themed room, it's gotta be football, the Giants to be specific." Lindsay's turned to look at his reaction. She loved riling him up about sports and this would truly create a major internal conflict for Danny, what to choose football or baseball?

"God Montana, you can't make me do it, I can't choose. How bout every six months we change it. That way both teams could get fair play in our kid's room."

"Well then we should probably throw hot pink into the rotation too," she teased. Danny groaned.

She was laughing at the thought of rotating nursery themes, when she stopped dead in her tracks.

"What's wrong Linds? Is it the baby?" his hand instantly went to her small belly.

She swallowed a lump in her throat, but didn't respond. Finally Danny followed her eye line and saw Rikki walking towards them.

"Danny. You never called me back," she crowed at him angrily.

Lindsay stiffened next to Danny. He hadn't told her that Rikki called him. She was under the impression that he hadn't seen or spoken to Rikki since the custody hearing. He was so upset after the results of the DNA test confirming Tim as the father of Dante. Rikki then challenged the name of the father on a birth record and petitioned the court change the father listed on the birth record. Danny had been devastated, but Rikki was intent on punishing him by not letting him see the son he had raised as his own. Now looking back he had suspected that Dante might not be his. At the time he was unwilling to accept that he had so royally screwed up his life for no reason.

"Well we're supposed to be leaving next week and I need that money."

"You think I'm going to give you money so you can take my son away? You really are fucked up."

"He's not your son." She took every opportunity to tell him this.

"Thanks. That's painfully fucking obvious now," he said.

Lindsay was extremely uncomfortable now. She hated being around Rikki anyway, but she was so angry by her selfishness and cruelty to Danny and Dante. Lindsay also felt ashamed 

that she felt betrayed that Danny hadn't told her about the phone call. Seeing Rikki like this was a painful reminder that Danny slept with her, had married her, and had raised her son.

"I want that money Danny."

"Fine I'll give you the money for the first and last month's rent and the security deposit, but I'm never giving you another cent." Danny was livid, but at this point he was so fed up that he was happy to see her leaving the city. Lindsay wrenched out of his hold. She began walking down the sidewalk, suddenly feeling suffocated. The pain of the past years had risen to the surface. As she walked away she could still hear Rikki clearly.

"You better go after her Danny, especially if you want to hold on the Dante's replacement. This one might not be yours either, knowing your whore," Rikki's venomous words followed Danny as he jogged to catch up with Lindsay. She was walking swiftly towards her apartment with tears staining her cheeks.

Lindsay only stopped walking when Danny wrapped his arms around her. He gently pushed up her chin to make her look into his eyes.

"I love you," he said firmly. "I love our baby. I swear to god that our baby is not a replacement. I've always loved you, and she has always been spiteful and jealous of what you and I have."

"Why didn't you tell me she called? Wanted money? Why did you give it to her?" she asked quietly later that night as they lay in bed her body spooned by his.

He sighed a little, he knew he should have told her, let her know that Rikki was calling him wanting money for things, "Because all this is my fault. If I hadn't have done what tore us apart, if I would have seen through her lies, we would have been here a long time ago," he pulled her closer, "I just wanted to get her out of our lives for good. So that we can start our lives free of worrying about her, and what she might try to pull. I just don't want you worrying about things like that."

She snuggled into his embrace, "Secrets are what got us here in the first place Dan," she pointed out.

He kissed her shoulder, "I know," he said softly; glad she wasn't pushing him away.

"It can't happen again. Even if you think it will hurt me, I need you to tell me," she said.

"Everything," he promised, kissing her neck his hand stroking her belly, "I promise you that I will never hurt you again, Montana."


	9. Chapter 9

Lindsay methodically wrapped the knick knacks that she had collected from her almost 7 years in New York. She had already packed almost everything else she was 'allowed' to pack. Sighing, she thought back to how she had been 'assigned' what to pack.

A shattering sound came from the bedroom.

"Ow, dammit."

Danny was in the room faster than she thought he could be, not that she needed any help. Before she could tell him she was fine, he held her cut hand in his, examining it, "Danny, I'm fine," she insisted, trying to pull her hand free from his.

"You've been cut," he said softly, wiping away the blood, checking for pieces in her finger.

"It's just a nick, I didn't cut my arm off," she sighed frustrated, "God were you this worried about every little scratch Rikki got?" she said it before she even realized she said it.

She looked up at him, his face sad. He finished cleaned her cut and grabbed a band aid, in silence.

"Danny…"

"I'm fine Montana," he promised softly, softly kissing the palm of her hand, she moved to touch his face but he stopped her, "You just finish wrapping up your knick knacks, and packing the books and DVD okay?"

Her eyes watered a little, "Okay," she agreed.

5 minutes later, she couldn't take it anymore. She went into the living room where he was packing the electronics, and wrapped her arms around him from behind. The slight swell of her belly fitting the natural curve of his back perfectly.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, letting her hands sneak under his shirt, "I love you."

Turning around he looked down at her, "I'm sorry for being so mean," she said.

"Not your fault," he said softly, he knew her hormones were out of whack and the run in with Rikki they had a week ago still had her riled.

Standing on her tiptoes, she touches his face, happy when he doesn't stop her, then kissed him softly. He returned her soft kiss. He moved to back away, but she grabbed him by his shirt and kept him in place, her mouth opening urging his to do the same. Her hands found the bottom of his shirt again, creeping their way underneath, lightly stroking his abdomen, her nails 

gentle scraping up his sides and back, urging him to take off his shirt, "I need you Danny," she moaned into his mouth.

He left her mouth long enough to take off his shirt, then found it again. He bent down, spreading her thighs apart, lifting her, allowing her to wrap her legs around him. He walked them to the bedroom, their mouths dueling for dominance.

She was brought back to the present when a knock came at the door. She didn't bother getting up, because since Sean stopped by for the last time Danny hadn't let her answer the door. At first it had frustrated her but then realized he was trying to protect her, "Got it babe," she heard him yell down the hall. She chuckled to herself, he was trying to make it seem like she had a choice in the matter.

Danny opened the door to see a short older lady standing on the other side, "Can I help you?"

The woman looked at the partially dressed young man in stunned silence, "I think I have the wrong apartment."

Something made her go find out who it was. There was no yelling, or no door slamming so it couldn't be that bad, "Who is it honey?" she said coming up behind him.

"Lindsay?" she heard a familiar voice say.

"Mom?" she moved to the other side of Danny.

Her mom's eyes immediately went to the visibly prominent baby bump, her eyes widened and watered, then she pushed the young man out of the way and moved to hug her daughter and touch her belly, "Why didn't you tell me?" her mom squealed.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hi, Mom, this is a really big surprise." Lindsay gave her mom a huge smile when she had stood back to admire her pregnant daughter. This certainly was a big surprise. She didn't know that Lindsay had been seeing anyone seriously, but quickly remembered the scantily clad young man who was still standing in the threshold.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this."

"Well we were just waiting for the right time. We have a lot of big news Momma." Lindsay inclined her head in Danny's direction and reached her hand out to grab his. "Mom, do you remember Danny? Danny I'd like you to meet my mother, Helen Monroe." Danny glanced at Lindsay, she was still smiling expectantly but her eyes betrayed a certain anxiety. This wasn't exactly how she wanted to tell her mother everything that had transpired over the last 3 years. She of course hadn't told her mother that she started a relationship with her married ex-boyfriend, and that a few months ago he decided to leave his wife, found out that his son wasn't his, come out with their relationship and find out she was expecting their child. She wasn't exactly sure how well all of that would go over. When she returned home to Montana, broken hearted and hightailing out of the city, her mother had consoled her, comforted her when she cried, listened to her rant.

"Hello, Danny," her mother's eyebrows raised a little with this introduction. Danny sensed that mother and daughter needed a quick word alone, so he excused himself to put some clothes on. As soon as he walked into the bedroom and shut the door, Lindsay's mother was immediately asking questions.

"Lindsay, have you lost your mind?" Her mother asked with no consideration to how loud she was talking.

"Mother, I am not getting into this with you. I want you to know that I am happy, I'm happy with Danny, I'm happy to be marrying Danny, and I'm happy to be having his baby."

"Why are there boxes everywhere? And isn't he already married?"

"He is divorced."

"What about his child?"

"Rikki finally told him the truth, the child wasn't his, and now she moved and won't let him see Dante."

"What are all these boxes?"

"We're moving into a bigger place, so we have room for the baby," Lindsay couldn't help but smile at that thought, she was so happy to be forming a life with Danny.

"This just seems all so quick Lindsay," she said concerned. "You shouldn't be jumping right into a relationship with him if he just got divorced and now you're already pregnant and engaged?"

"It hasn't exactly been quick," Lindsay mumbled. Danny could hear their conversation from the bedroom, and felt ashamed; he should be the one out there taking the heat from Lindsay's mother. He was so happy that Lindsay had given him another chance, the whole mess of the last several years was his fault and once again he didn't want anyone judging Lindsay for his stupidity. He opened the door, catching Lindsay's eyes when he walked into the living room. He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her cradling her swollen belly with his hand.

"I love Lindsay. I love your daughter, Mrs. Monroe."


End file.
